| 1997 Charlotte Sting season | |
|---|---|
| Coach | Marynell Meadors |
| Arena | Charlotte Coliseum |
| Attendance | 8,307 per game |
| Results | |
| Record | 15–13 (.536) |
| Place | 3rd (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | Lost WNBA Semifinals (1-0) to Houston Comets |
| Team Leaders | |
| Points | Andrea Stinson (15.7) |
| Rebounds | Vicky Bullett (6.4) |
| Assists | Andrea Stinson (4.4) |
The 1997 WNBA season was the inaugural season for the Charlotte Sting.
| Pick | Player | Nationality | WNBA Team | College/HS/Club Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vicky Bullett (C) |  United States | Charlotte Sting | Maryland |
| 2 | Andrea Stinson (G) | United States | Charlotte Sting | North Carolina State |
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Tora Suber | (G) | United States | Virginia |
| Eastern Conference | W | L | PCT | Conf. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Comets x | 18 | 10 | .643 | 6–6 | – |
| New York Liberty x | 17 | 11 | .607 | 8–4 | 1.0 |
| Charlotte Sting x | 15 | 13 | .536 | 5–7 | 3.0 |
| Cleveland Rockers o | 15 | 13 | .536 | 5–7 | 3.0 |
| Date | Opponent | Score | Result | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 22 | @ Phoenix | 59-76 | Loss | 0-1 |
| June 25 | @ Los Angeles | 54-74 | Loss | 0-2 |
| June 26 | @ Sacramento | 70-78 | Loss | 0-3 |
| June 29 | Cleveland | 67-44 | Win | 1-3 |
| July 5 | Los Angeles | 78-66 | Win | 2-3 |
| July 7 | @ Houston | 56-74 | Loss | 2-4 |
| July 9 | New York | 87-69 | Win | 3-4 |
| July 10 | @ New York | 48-62 | Loss | 3-5 |
| July 12 | Cleveland | 72-43 | Win | 4-5 |
| July 16 | Utah | 75-63 | Win | 5-5 |
| July 17 | @ Cleveland | 47-65 | Loss | 5-6 |
| July 21 | Los Angeles | 75-64 | Win | 6-6 |
| July 23 | New York | 63-65 | Loss | 6-7 |
| July 26 | @ New York | 64-61 | Win | 7-7 |
| July 30 | Phoenix | 68-67 | Win | 8-7 |
| August 1 | Sacramento | 85-61 | Win | 9-7 |
| August 3 | @ Los Angeles | 77-70 | Win | 10-7 |
| August 4 | @ Utah | 70-73 | Loss | 10-8 |
| August 6 | @ Sacramento | 64-77 | Loss | 10-9 |
| August 9 | Phoenix | 79-59 | Win | 11-9 |
| August 11 | Houston | 62-72 | Loss | 11-10 |
| August 14 | Sacramento | 68-51 | Win | 12-10 |
| August 16 | Houston | 80-71 | Win | 13-10 |
| August 17 | @ Cleveland | 49-81 | Loss | 13-11 |
| August 19 | @ Houston | 69-77 | Loss | 13-12 |
| August 21 | @ Utah | 66-56 | Win | 14-12 |
| August 22 | @ Phoenix | 63-78 | Loss | 14-13 |
| August 24 | Utah | 70-52 | Win | 15-13 |
| August 28 (WNBA Semifinal) | @ Houston | 54-70 | Loss | 0-1 |
The Charlotte Sting were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007.
Jason Eugene Terry is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 19 seasons in the NBA as a combo guard and is nicknamed "the Jet". With the Dallas Mavericks, Terry won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2009 and an NBA championship in 2011. As of January 2023, Terry has made the eighth-most three-point field goals in NBA history.
Heidi Ann Horton is a former American professional women's basketball player who played overseas from 1993 to 1997 and then played for the Los Angeles Sparks and Washington Mystics of the WNBA from 1997 to 1998. She is the twin sister of Heather (Burge) Quella.
The 1997 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's inaugural season. It started off with 8 franchises: Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, Houston Comets, Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Monarchs, and the Utah Starzz. It featured an inaugural game between the New York Liberty and the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks lost to the New York Liberty, 67–57. The attendance at the Forum was 14,284. The season ended with the Comets defeating the Liberty in a one-game series 65–51. Cynthia Cooper was named MVP of the game.
Andrea Stinson is a retired professional basketball player from the United States, playing for the WNBA from 1997 to 2004 for the Charlotte Sting and one final season in 2005 with the Detroit Shock.
Sandora Lavett Irvin is an American professional basketball player for the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was waived by the San Antonio Silver Stars in 2009.
Victoria Andrea Bullett is an American former professional basketball player and current women's basketball head coach at West Virginia Wesleyan College. She played for the Charlotte Sting and Washington Mystics in the WNBA, as well as for European and South American professional teams, the U.S. Olympic team, and the University of Maryland Terrapins. Bullett played at various times as a center, small forward, and power forward. She was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
Andrea Nagy is a retired professional basketball player. After a stand-out career playing at Florida International University, Nagy was drafted into the ABL before finishing her career in the WNBA playing as a point guard.
The 1997 WNBA season was the first season for the Houston Comets. The Comets won the inaugural WNBA Finals.
The 1997 WNBA season was the first season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks finished in second place in the Western Division with a record of 14 wins and 14 losses.
The 1997 WNBA season was the first season for the New York Liberty.
The 1997 WNBA season was the first for the Phoenix Mercury.
The 1997 WNBA season was the inaugural season for the Utah Starzz. The Starzz were partially named after the old ABA team, the Utah Stars, but with the zz at the end like the Utah Jazz. The franchise held the distinction of having the worst record in the WNBA in 1997.
The 1997 WNBA season was the inaugural season for the Sacramento Monarchs.
The 1997 WNBA season was the inaugural season for the Cleveland Rockers.
The 1999 WNBA season was the Orlando Miracle's inaugural season. The Miracle tied for second place in the conference with the Detroit Shock and the Charlotte Sting. However, both Detroit and Charlotte beat Orlando in two of their three meetings during the regular season. Therefore, the Miracle were in fourth place and out of playoff contention.
Mistie McCray Bass is an American professional women's basketball player who is currently a free agent.
Eva Horáková, née Němcová, is a Czech basketball player.
Lauren Elizabeth Jackson is an Australian professional basketball player. Arguably the most notable Australian women's basketball player, Jackson has had a decorated career with the Australia women's national basketball team and has had multiple stints in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) between 1997 and 2024. Between 2001 and 2012, she played in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Pollyanna Casanga Johns Kimbrough, formerly Pollyanna Johns is an American former basketball player. She was born in Nassau, Bahamas, grew up in Jamaica and moved to the United States at age 13. She played for six seasons as a center and forward in the WNBA for the Charlotte Sting (1998), Cleveland Rockers, Miami Sol (2002), and Houston Comets (2004).